May 18, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Jeff McNeil (1) hits an RBI single in the second inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. May 18, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Jeff McNeil (1) hits an RBI single in the second inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
By Sam Neumann on

Last weekend’s Subway Series had all the glitz and glamor you’d expect.

Beyond Juan Soto hitting a moonshot to stun the Bronx faithful, it had everything you could possibly want, unless you’re a New York Mets fan, of course. The Yankees took the series 2-1 as Soto returned to Yankee Stadium for the first time since signing a record-breaking 15-year deal with the Mets.

Michael Kay implored Yankees fans to boo Soto, and they didn’t disappoint. The fallout hasn’t been pretty for the 26-year-old superstar. Kay claimed a “glum” Soto never wanted to leave the Yankees, while Boomer Esiason wrongly suggested Soto was traveling separately from his teammates on the road.

It was an ugly weekend for Soto. It was a perfect one for ESPN.

The Worldwide Leader reported Tuesday that Sunday’s series finale was the most-watched Sunday Night Baseball broadcast since 2018. With ESPN and MLB set to end their partnership after the 2025 season, this could be the final Mets-Yankees game ever on ESPN, and it averaged 2.54 million viewers.

According to ESPN, it was the most-watched MLB game of 2025 across all platforms.

Of course, it won’t be the last Mets game on the network. New York will host the Dodgers this week on Sunday Night Baseball. But as far as the Subway Series goes on ESPN? This might be all she wrote.

The Mets and Yankees will meet again at Citi Field over Fourth of July weekend. Saturday’s game is set for FS1, while Sunday’s afternoon contest is scheduled for 1:40 p.m. ET. ESPN has teased a Sunday Night Baseball doubleheader for the holiday weekend, but so far, it has only unveiled one matchup. The Texas Rangers will play the San Diego Padres at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

There’s still room to flex the Mets and Yankees into primetime, but it gets tricky. The Mets already have SNB appearances lined up for this Sunday, May 25, June 22 vs. the Philadelphia Phillies, and August 18 vs. the Seattle Mariners in the Little League Classic.

Since the media rights opt-out, MLB and ESPN haven’t had much to say to each other. They might find common ground on a new rights deal down the road, but don’t hold your breath. It’s not happening anytime soon.

And make no mistake, ESPN walking away wasn’t about ratings. The Worldwide Leader was looking to cut its payments by more than $300 million. Last season, Sunday Night Baseball posted its best numbers since 2019. Sunday’s Subway Series finale delivered the most-watched game since 2018.

So if this was the final Subway Series on ESPN, it lived up to the hype, and then some.

About Sam Neumann

Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.

View all posts by Sam Neumann